Acid that can pop a balloon?

[JasonQ]

Does anyone know of any acids that are pretty safe to humans (not very dangerous to skin) that can eat away a small hole in a standard party type balloon and pop it?

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

[akcapr]

maybe a solvent could do that, toulene? xylene?

[JasonQ]

Are those solvents relatively safe? If I got some on my skin would it eat through it?

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

[Phi for All]

maybe a solvent could do that, toulene? xylene?

Don't forget the balloon will pop and toluene causes corneal damage if it gets in the eyes.

[JasonQ]

Yea...

 

That's why I asked in my original post if they were safe.

 

Do you know of any safe chemicals/acids I could use to pop the balloon with one or two drops?

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

[Phi for All]

Here's a fact sheet on xylene: http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/HESIS/xylene.htm

 

Are your standard party type balloons filled with helium?

[JasonQ]

No, my balloons will not be filled with helium.

 

-Jason

[ecoli]

Why don't you just use dry ice. My chem prof. did that as a demonstation. The ice sumblimates into a gas inside the ballon, filling it up and gradually it pops. The funny part is that every time one of the ballons pops she jumped in the air and started to scream. God that was hilarious.

[Phi for All]

I like the dry ice idea.

 

JasonQ, I realized I was assuming that since they were party balloons that they would be used at a party. Is this the case? Many of the solvents that would pop a balloon are also flammable, so if people are smoking or open flames are present the idea of a solvent begins to look less attractive.

[YT2095]

Methylene Chloride gell is a good option too, it lasts alot longer than the liquid does on fingers, though you will need to use hand cream afterwards as it`ll strip the oils from your skin and leave them quite dry (still harmless in thos amounts tho`).

 

to be honest, without knowing the exact parameters of this "trick" it`s impossible come up with an "Ideal" illusion or special effect. but there are little ACIDS that will do this job, and the ones that will are perfectly harmfull and not really a good idea

[Phi for All]

to be honest, without knowing the exact parameters of this "trick" it`s impossible come up with an "Ideal" illusion or special effect. but there are little ACIDS that will do this job, and the ones that will are perfectly harmfull and not really a good idea

I kept thinking that a drop of gasoline would eat through the thin latex immediately but what if there was a candle or someone lit a cig? It's all so funny until someone gets immolated.

[YT2095]

gas/petrol takes a while too, and has a readily recognisable smell, as does Styrene (that works too). methylene chloride Has a smell (quite a pleasant one actualy *Hic*) but it`s non flamable and not easily recognisable

[Xyph]

Whatever is used, surely the amounts would be so small that flammability wouldn't be a danger...

[YT2095]

the problem is that most flamables of a solvent nature are volatile with a low vapor pressure and would disperse within seconds of application to skin (esp living as that`s a good 30c+) and would evaporate, and so the tendancy would be to add more, well I`m sure you can appreciate the problem from there onwards

[Phi for All]

Whatever is used, surely the amounts would be so small that flammability wouldn't be a danger...

Famous last words. Tell that to the girl whose hair is on fire.

[JasonQ]

Maybe if I gave you some more info it would help determine would substances would be good.

 

I'm entering a robot in a science olympiad competition, and it needs to pop a few balloons that aren't easily accessible; a simple arm with a blade on it wouldn't work.

 

What I was planning on doing was having the robot hold a syringe over the balloon, squeeze out a drop of acid, and the acid would pop the balloon. As I said before, the balloons are stationary and have nothing but air in them.

 

Any other suggestions for acids/substances I could use?

 

-Jason

[akcapr]

If you can drop a drop on them, how cant you not poke a needle in them?

[JasonQ]

a simple arm with a blade on it wouldn't work.

 

...As I said before, I cannot access the balloons with a needle because I can't get that close to the balloons. This is why I'm going to hold a syringe way above the balloon and drop some acids on it.

 

-Jason

[akcapr]

well its hard to give our idea if we dont know what the challenge looks like

[Phi for All]

If the robot could hold a syringe over the balloon and squeeze it, couldn't it hold a dart and drop it?

 

If you still want to use the syringe idea, don't think acids, think solvents. Gasoline, toluene or xylene (or the ones YT mentioned) will eat at thinly stretched latex given a little time, aren't terribly corrosive to handle and are readily available. You could test gasoline today.

[YT2095]

in that case! <evil grin> a simple pyro technic composition will work, a shower of sparks is not only an audience pleaser (think eye-candy) but will pop those suckers in no time at all! ))

[JasonQ]

I couldn't do the dart because I have only shot at it, and the dart might either not hit the balloon right to pop it or could hit it just right but still not pop it.

 

I guess I'll look into solvents; thanks for the suggestions you've given.

 

-Jason

[ecoli]

I like the sparks...its easy and would definately work.

[akcapr]

so would a pilot light and a gasoline squit gun

[blah]

use a silver marker that has xylene.

 

 

Does anyone know of any acids that are pretty safe to humans (not very dangerous to skin) that can eat away a small hole in a standard party type balloon and pop it?

 

Thanks,

 

Jason